A manual by the Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED)

This manual is designed to support the efforts of forward-looking health research leaders in developing countries – directors of research, senior managers, medical school deans, leaders of big health research programmes, and those in similar roles.

It is a practical guide, which will help health research leaders plan and develop a health research system that works for the needs of their country.

Many health research leaders have voiced frustration that current health research activities are not of direct use to policy and decision making; that they do not consistently produce evidence that can guide decision makers on how to proceed with health sector reform, the delivery of health services or staffing needs of the country’s health system

Management advice and tools for health research system development

The goal of this guide is to provide health research leaders with a step-by-step approach to improving their health research system, and one that can be done in a practical and realistic way. It is a work in progress. In its final form, the guide will offer tools and modules that managers can use to develop:
• A framework for governance and management for health research.
• A process for setting, managing and measuring progress of health research priorities.
• A process for developing health research policy.
• An approach for assessment of national health research systems.

Learning between countries

The framework and approaches will be complemented by experiences, stories and examples of how senior health research leaders are strengthening their systems.

Expert consultation
Experts interested in providing input can download the review version of the manual and the review form below. We would like to receive your feedback to incorporate your input into the launch version of the document. Please send comments To Dr Andrew Kennedy at COHRED or call to discuss particular issues of interest in more detail (tel: +41 591 8903).

Review form